Could The Nets Reunite With Dorian Finney-Smith?

The Brooklyn Nets' season is quickly coming to an end, which means that the front office will soon be doing its best to improve the roster in all categories. This comes with negotiating with existing players within the team to extend contracts, as well as looking towards the free agency market for new talent to bolster their ranks.

Trendon Watford is one of the players the Nets could let go of in the offseason, given that his contract is set to expire at the end of the campaign. While it has been quite the productive stretch for the 24-year-old, averaging roughly ten points per game on 46 percent from the field, Brooklyn's front office may want to look elsewhere to add depth on the wing.

One player they could look towards is Dorian Finney-Smith, whose future with the Los Angeles Lakers is hinging on a player option for next season. The 31-year-old was a part of the Nets for three seasons after arriving in the deal that sent Kyrie Irving, among others, to the Dallas Mavericks.

Those three seasons would see Finney-Smith manage to be a core part of Brooklyn's squad, starting in 114 matches in which he'd average roughly eight points per game on 41 percent shooting. Looking deeper into his role, the former Florida star would become a 3-and-D specialist, converting on 35 percent of his shots from beyond the arc while averaging close to a block and steal per game.

The 31-year-old's departure from the Barclays Center earlier in the season coincided with a slip in the Nets' defensive rating. In December, Brooklyn had a defensive rating of 112.6, which slotted them in the 17th spot in the league before they'd slipped down to the 21st spot with a rating of 115.8 in the month after Finney-Smith left the team.

These defensive issues are something that have persisted for the rest of the season, as the Nets' opponents haven't slowed down at all. Against Brooklyn, opponents are shooting with roughly 48 percent accuracy, draining 40 shots, as well as close to 13 from beyond the arch per game.

If Finney-Smith opts into his option for the 2025-26 season, the Nets' front office can look elsewhere in the market to add depth. While offering different qualities to the 24-year-old, the likes of Kelly Oubre Jr, John Collins, and Jonathan Kuminga could hit free agency in the offseason.